Prune-dipping machine.



P.J.YANDLR PRUNE DIPPING MACHINE. APPLIGATION FILED JUNB2,191&

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO M O O O O O O O O O O O C O C O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O LEU HTNESSES THE N-...-,us PETERS Co., PHom-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D, C,

FREDERICK J. YANDLE, GF SANTA. ROSA, CALIFORNIA.

PRUNE-DIPPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

Application filed .Tune 2, 1914. Serial No. 842,379.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. YANDLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Rosa, in the county of Sonoma and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Prune-Dipping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a prune dipping machine.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple, substantial, cheaply manufactured prune dipping machine which isv particularly constructed to insure a perfect submersion of the prunes in the dipping solution.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for draining the prunes of said solution before they are discharged from the dipper, and to provide means for insuring a uniform submersion time period.

Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the dipping machine. tion of same.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the dipping tank, having a semicirculanshaped bottom 2, and 3 is the dipper shaft extending through the tank and journaled in same, as at e and 5. Suitably secured on the shaft, as at 6 and 7, is a pair of triangular-shaped flanged plates 8 and 9 forming the ends 0f a foraminous triangularly shaped drum 10, the particular function of which will be described later. Arms 11, 12 and 13 are secured at the angles of the triangular-shaped plates 8 9, as indicated in Fig. 2, and will in themselves form a triangular-shaped frame. Flach arm is so positioned as to form a brace for the outer ends of the connected arms, said arms being secured at their outer ends as indicated at 1-1. Formed on the inner side of each plate 8 and 9 is a flanged extension 15 and extending across the faces of said flanged extensions, which are also triangular in shape, and suitably secured on same are the perforated plates or screens which make up the triangular drum 10.

Suitably secured to the outer ends of corresponding pairs of arms 11, 12 and 13 are paddles 19 which are so positioned as to Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal secpractically engage with the bottom of the tank when revolving therein, yet leaving an open space 16 between each paddle and the perforated drum 10. The paddles 19 may be constructed of perforated plates or screens of similar structure to the triangular drum mounted between the plates 8 and 9.

1n operation, when dipping prunes, it is first necessary to fill the tank with a solution of lye water which is kept in a heated condition by any suitable means, such as a furnace built directly under the tank, or by circulation from a boiler not here shown. rlhe level of the liquid is kept just suficiently high to keep the lower portion of the inner drum `partly submerged, as indicated in Fig. 2. The prunes to be dipped are deposited on an inclined plate 2O where they slide by gravity down into the semicircular-shaped portion of the tank. rfhey are here forced through the liquid by the shoveling action of the paddles 19 and are also lifted by the same to the discharge side 21 of the tank where they are subjected to the spraying action of a pipe 22. The spraying solution may be pure water, or any other suitable mixture, and it may be supplied by a pump or other suitable means not here shown. The prunes, after being subjected to the spraying action of the nozzle 22, may be conveyed by a belt to a grading machine or to a distributer or like device, from where they are deposited on the drying trays. The discharge point 21 of the tank is suiiiciently elevated above the uid level in the tank to permit the prunes to be partly drained of the solution before they are discharged. Considerable saving in the amount of dipping solution employed is thus gained. The particular shape of the drum, together with the partly submerged position of same, insures a perfect submersion of any prunes that might have a tendency to float, as the flat sides of the drum will force the prunes down below the surface of the liquid. The shaft 3, upon which the drum and paddles are mounted, may be driven in any suitable manner throughmeans of a pulley 3a from any suitable source of power, and the speed of revolution thus transmitted is such that prunes are given the right submersion period to produce the best result. The equal spacing of the paddles, together with the constant drive, will cause all of the prunes to be given the same amount of submersion; that is, the time period Will be the same` for all. A uniform product and result are thus produced. Y

A tank constructed as here shown is more or less self-cleaning in operation, as any grit or foreign matter deposited With the prunes will be consequently removed'from the tank and discharged with same, for thesimple reason that the outer ends of the paddles practically engage with the bottom of the semicircular portion of thetank. Any deposit of foreign material, such as sand and leaves, is thusv obviated and the solution is kept more or less in a clean condition. The machine is simple in construction and can, therefore, be successfully operated by any one. Y A valve 23, secured to the bottom of the tank, is provided for the purpose of draining the solution from time to time when it is desired torenew the solution or clean th tank. Y Y

The materials and finish of the several parts of lthe machine arev such as thev eX-V perience and judgmentof the manufacturer may dictate. i

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is. f

1. In a pruneV dipping machine, the combination With a liquid containing tank hav ing a semicircular-shaped bottom, ofa rotatable screen covered triangular-shaped drum ing a semicirculai--shaped bottom', of Va shaft extending through the tank and journaled 1n same, a pair of tr1angularshaped plates secured on said shaft, a triangular-shaped screen drum securedbetween the plates, a plurality of connected arms forming a triangular-.shaped frame secured on each plate,

and a plurality of perforatedvpaddle plates' extending across Asaid Varm frames, .said plates adapted Vto sweep sui'iiciently close-to the bottom of the tank to act as shovels to force the prunes Athrough the liquid'and lift tliem to a discharge point. A

In testimony whereof I have hereunto VsetYV my hand in the presence of'two subscribing Witnesses. Y 'f rnnnnrnrcnY J. YNDLE.

I Witnesses:

IRVINE SNNETT, WV, IV. HEALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the ICommissone'r of Patents,V

' Washington, D. C. 

